Glossary

AB 75 (Chapter 764, Statutes of 1999, Strom-Martin): Legislation,
known as the State Agency Model Integrated Waste Management Act,
requires each California State agency and large State facility to plan
for and reduce its disposal of solid waste by at least 25 percent by
2002 and by at least 50 percent on and after January 1, 2004.

AB 939 (Chapter 1095, Statutes of 1989, Sher):
Legislation, known as the Integrated Waste Management Act, requires each
California jurisdiction to reduce its disposal of solid waste in
permitted landfills by 50 percent on and after January 1, 2000. Fines
and other sanctions may be imposed on jurisdictions failing to meet or
maintain their goals.

AB 1826 (Chapter 727,Statutes of 2014, Chesbro): The law
phases in the requirements on businesses, including multifamily
residential dwellings that consist of five or more units, over time
based on the amount and type of waste the business produces on a
weekly basis, with full implementation realized in 2019.
Additionally, the law contains a 2020 trigger that will increase the
scope of affected businesses, if waste reduction targets are not
met. Please see our
Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling page for more
information.

Biodegradable Plastic: A form of plastic suitable
for use in cups, plates, and other products, usually made from
cornstarch or other plant material that can be composted after use.

Environmental Preference: To revise product
specifications, policies, and/or purchasing contract terms to request or
give preference to products or services that minimize impacts on the
environment throughout the processes of manufacture, distribution, use,
reuse and recycling, and disposal. For example, buying materials
containing recycled-content materials.

Compost: A soil amendment made from the controlled
biological decomposition of plant and other selected organic materials.
Compost is different than mulch, which is a shredded or chipped organic
product placed on top of soil as a protective layer.

Hazardous Waste: Materials not allowed in municipal
landfills, including used motor oil and oil filters, antifreeze and
other vehicle fluids; car batteries; paints and varnishes; pesticides;
and some cleaning supplies (Health
and Safety Code Section 25117).

Jurisdiction: A city, county, a combined city and
county, or a group of cites or counties acting as a CalRecycle-approved
regional agency with the responsibility for meeting AB 939 State
Integrated Waste Management Act requirements.

Postconsumer material: An end product that has
completed its life cycle as a consumer item and, if not recycled, would
otherwise be disposed as a solid waste.

Preconsumer material: Any recovered material other
than postconsumer, including manufacturing trimmings, unsold scrap, and
reprocessed or converted feedstock materials.

Recycled Content: As listed on product labels,
meaning the product contains some percentage of postconsumer and/or
preconsumer recycled materials. This differs from "recyclable," which
means that the material could possibly be recycled.

Source Reduction: Preventing waste by redesigning
products, processes, or specifications to accomplish the same task while
using less material.

Waste Analysis: Classifying and quantifying waste
materials disposed by a facility to determine what kinds of source
reduction and recycling programs are feasible to implement. Also known
as waste characterization, waste sorting, or waste sampling.

Waste Audit: An examination of a facility's work
processes and products that generate solid waste to determine how they
can be restructured to use less material, use materials with recycled
content, reuse or recycle materials, and safely dispose of wastes that
cannot be diverted.